434 Journal and Correspondence

C. C.

p. 2

[Gov. Johnson to Col. H. Hollingsworth.]

Annapolis I^st June 1779
Sir
I am very sorry that any Man should be brought into Diffi-
culties by his Promptitude to serve the Public; you need not
appologise for shewing my Letters, to clear up your Brother's
Conduct with respect to the Flour purchased by M^r Gilpin of
M^r May, or that sent forward to Philad^a by you, under the
request of the Council & myself. You are as welcome as
justifiable in making use of any Thing from me, to clear up
the Truth and serve the Purposes of Justice; I shall take the
same Freedom, whenever necessary, with any Letters in my
Power, without thinking I do amiss and now inclose you a
Letter of the Honble Governieur Morris to our Delegates
which they inclosed to us and was to govern us, with Regard
to the Purchase & Disposition of the Flour. Presuming that
the Flour was to supply the Army 'til Harvest, the Council and
I had given general Directions to the Purchasers to forward
it to the Head of Elk, that it might be sent forward for that
Purpose, but on the Receipt of that Letter we wrote you the
26^th April pressing you to exert yourself to dispatch the
Carriage and gave correspondent Orders, a few Days before
& after to the Purchasers. The Letter strongly conveys the
Idea of its being desirable, indeed necessary to have the Flour
in Philadelphia as soon as possible. I also send you a Copy
of M^r Morris's Letter of the 21^st of April received so late as
the 30^th. The very Day of Receipt of it we wrote Letters to
all the principal Purchasers, countermanding the former Orders
and directing the Flour to be lodged at Landings on this Bay,
as requested, except that which lay between the Head of Elk,
which we desired to continue in the Mills, ready to be carried
to Landings on either Bay. We did not imagine the counter-
manding Orders could possibly prevent, totally, the Effect of the
first, which were in a Way of Execution. M^r Reisberg writes
me, 11^th May, "Col^o Hollingsworth D. Q. M. G. of Head of Elk
was in Town last week, informing me you had requested him
to take Charge of the Flour purchased by the Commissaries in
your State; I beg Leave to mention that we have an Assist.
Comm^y at that Post and that it would be in a proper Line for
him to receive the same or any other Kind of Provisions." It
was improper to put the Flour in that Line, after the Receipt
of M^r Morris's Letter. Mess^rs Reisberg & White were here
the other Day, they seemed desirous that Part, at least, of the
Flour purchased by the Gen^t of our Appointm^t should
be delivered over to the Comm^ys but the Matter was
explained to them, that M^r Morris's Order was necessary.